Environmental, Social, Governance

CI Financial strives to operate with responsibility and integrity, from the management of our funds to the conduct of all aspects of our business. We are committed to treating our employees and business partners with respect and consideration, to supporting communities across Canada, and to reducing our impact on the environment. This section highlights some of CI’s efforts and achievements in these areas. Please see the Corporate Governance section for details of our governance policies.

RESPONSIBLE INVESTING
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

CI’s Responsible Investment Memberships

CI Global Asset Management is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI)

CI Global Asset Management is an Associate Member of the Responsible Investment Association of Canada (RIA)

As a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), CI Global Asset Management believes that responsible investing plays a role in achieving the best possible risk-adjusted returns for our funds.

CI Global Asset Management has a formal Responsible Investment Policy that addresses the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into the investment decision-making process.

In addition, in recognition of the prohibitions contained within the United Nations Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention and the United Nations Convention on Cluster Munitions, CI Global Asset Management will not knowingly directly invest in companies associated with the production, use or distribution of such weapons.

For more information, view Click here for CI’s Responsible Investing Policy

Core Components

Responsible Investment Policy
Investment Exclusions
Minimum ESG Ranking Criteria
Third-Party ESG Data
Dedicated Responsible Investment Team

Process

Step 1: In-house portfolio managers have continual access to third-party ESG data
Step 2: Investment exclusions list provided to in-house portfolio managers & external investment sub-advisors on an ongoing basis
Step 3: In-house portfolio managers provided with customized ESG screens of portfolios with flagged holdings on an ongoing basis by CI’s Responsible Investment Team
Step 4: In-house portfolio managers review material flagged holdings and document findings
Step 5: Monitoring by CI’s compliance department

CI MSCI World ESG Impact Fund

The CI MSCI World ESG Impact Fund and the CI First Asset MSCI World ESG Impact ETF (NEO: CESG & NEO: CESG.B) invest in leading global companies whose products and services have a positive impact on the environment and society. The areas in which the funds invest are also aligned with 15 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), which represent a blueprint for stimulating action in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet through to 2030.

9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure tile

11 Sustainable Cities and Communities tile

12 Responsible Consumption and Production tile

16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions tile

CI is committed to reducing our impact on the environment and have made efforts to reduce our environmental footprint at our Toronto, Ontario office locations

2 Queen Street

In April 2019, we eliminated the use of paper cups, paper plates, and plastic cutlery at our 2 Queen Street location. We also removed plastic water bottles in all meeting rooms and replaced them with glass water carafes and glass water bottles.

15 York Street

In November 2019, we replaced plastic cutlery with biodegradable cutlery at our 15 York Street location and introduced an organics program.

CI is also committed to supporting the health of the natural ecosystems that comprise the communities in which we live, work and play

In 2019, we partnered with the Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation to provide employees with threeunique environmentally-oriented opportunities to use their Ray Days in support of local communities. In total, 239 employees took part in these events. More information on Ray Days can be found under the “Social Sustainability” tab.

Recipient of Living City Impact Award

As noted above, in 2019 CI continued our partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), an organization with a vision to create a cleaner, greener and healthier Living City. In 2019, we were proud to be the recipient of the Living City Impact Award for Business Excellence as recognition of our contributions towards advancing this vision.

“Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation greatly appreciates CI’s support through their participation in the Look After Where You Live Program. In 2019, over 200 CI employees participated in the program, making a positive impact on the environment by removing 1,363 pounds of garbage from the Toronto shoreline, 1,131 pounds of invasive plant species from Tommy Thompson Park and planting 1,200 native pollinator species in The Meadoway. We thank CI for their continued commitment and look forward to growing the program in the future.”

Patricia Koval, Chair, Board of Directors
Toronto and Region Conservation Foundation

Marie Curtis Park

In June 2019, 89 employees travelled to Toronto’s Marie Curtis Park to cover 1.1 kilometres of the shore, collecting an incredible 620 kilograms of garbage to help preserve the park’s natural ecosystem.

Tommy Thompson Park

In July 2019, 80 employees headed to Tommy Thompson Park in Toronto to remove invasive plant species and support park maintenance, ensuring the integrity of the park’s natural ecosystem, including its native plant species and bird and butterfly populations. The team removed 509 kilograms of Phragmites Australis, an invasive species of vegetation that negatively impacts the biodiversity of the local ecosystem.

The Meadoway

In September 2019, 70 employees travelled to The Meadoway in Toronto, a 16-kilometre stretch of land weaving through a prominent hydro corridor set to be rehabilitated into urban green space to promote community connectivity and increase ecological diversity. The team removed over 363 kilograms of invasive species and planted 1,200 native plants and shrubs.

CI is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that values diversity and provides all employees with the opportunity to develop their key strengths in a supportive environment

In July 2020, CI Financial was certified as a Great Place to Work, a Canada-wide survey program that recognizes companies where employees exhibit a high level of trust in their employer, pride in their work and camaraderie with colleagues. This section outlines some of the initiatives designed to support the employee experience at CI:

CI provides extensive training and learning opportunities to its employees and supports those who pursue education and training on their own initiative. We invested almost $500,000 in employee development and training in 2019.
Our Women’s Mentoring Program sees high-potential women paired with a senior leader for 12 months. It boasts over 125 mentee graduates since inception and has been profiled as an industry best practice; our Women’s Mentoring Alumni Program continues the development of these mentees. CI built on the success of this program by launching MentorCity, an additional mentoring program open to men and women.
Our training initiatives give employees access to a variety of tools and resources to support skill development, including eLearning courses and classroom-based workshops. One example is our Ready to Lead Management Development Program, which has over 170 graduates since 2014. Once that program is completed, graduates have access to other opportunities to build on the foundation of their leadership skills, including the Leading with Confidence program for frontline managers.

Diverse group of businesswomen using a laptop during a meeting at work

CI is also committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Our Wellness Program offers employees a range of activities focused on wellness in the workplace.
We continue to celebrate the contributions of long-serving employees through the CI Service Recognition Program. Employees are awarded “milestone days,” which are additional paid days off that are given out when they reach certain employment anniversaries with the company.
We provide opportunities for students to gain experience and exposure to the working world through our Summer Student Program. In 2019, we hired over 50 summer students, and 35 co-op students.

Almost $500K invested in employee development and training

Over 125 mentor/mentee relationships

Over 50 summer students hired

CI Diversity Day

In 2019, CI hosted a Diversity Day, where employees had the opportunity to share their traditions and heritage with colleagues through cultural items, music and cuisine.

Our Communities

CI is committed to supporting communities across Canada and to being a good corporate citizen. In 2019, we contributed $800,000 through company and employee donations and sponsorships.

Ray Days

CI provides employees with one paid day off per year, known as a Ray Day, to volunteer with a community organization or charity of their choice. This program was named in memory of CI’s former Chairman and CEO Ray Chang, who was well known for his commitment to philanthropy. The program is designed to give employees the ability to contribute to the community in a way that matters to them. 529 employees used their Ray Day to give back to the community in 2019. More information on Ray Days can be found under the "Environmental Sustainability" tab.

SickKids Get Loud Rally and March

CI was a Premium Sponsor of SickKids GetLoud, a campaign to help build a new SickKids hospital in Toronto and raised over $20,000 from employees across the company.

Second Harvest

CI served as a Platinum Sponsor of Toronto Taste, an annual Second Harvest event that supports its mission to feed families, support communities and protect the environment. Throughout the year, CI employees also fundraised and donated over $11,500 – enough money for 23,000 meals for those in need.

Niemann-Pick Canada

For the third year in a row, CI was the top sponsor for Niemann-Pick Canada (NP Canada), with employee donations totaling nearly $125,000. Niemann-Pick is a genetic disease that harms critical organs and lowers an individual’s quality of life and life expectancy, and NP Canada is currently funding research into this disease at SickKids Hospital in Toronto, the National Institute of Health in Maryland, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and the University of Notre Dame in South Bend. The amount raised in 2019 will cover almost an entire year’s cost of the NP Canada lab at SickKids.

The Arthritis Society

In 2019, CI donated $22,000 to the Arthritis Society and has been a supporter of the organization since 2008. These funds will contribute to cutting-edge research, proactive advocacy and innovative solutions that will deliver better health outcomes for people affected by arthritis.

Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada

CI continued to support the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada in 2019, donating a total of $28,000 in post-secondary scholarships. These scholarships were funded by donations from CI’s leadership team and were given to young people who are living in, or have recently left, the care of the child welfare system.

Disruption Ventures LP

In 2019, CI was proud to invest $2 million in Disruption Ventures LP, Canada’s first venture capital fund established by women with a focus on supporting female entrepreneurs.

“By investing in female entrepreneurs, we are proudly supporting an overlooked yet dynamic group and helping to foster an innovative and prosperous Canadian economy. Our investment in Disruption Ventures also nurtures the development of a valuable support network for women entrepreneurs and women-led businesses by connecting them to venture capitalists, to each other and to companies such as CI.”

Shiela Murray, Director of CI Financial